Protect yourself from crimes of opportunity, USU police say

By Kevin Nielsen

April 13, 2005 | LOGAN -- Two windows were broken Sunday in cars in the stadium parking lot but only a purse was stolen in the incidents. These would be the latest in what USU Police Lt. Steve Milne said are "opportunity crimes."

Since the start of the year there have been six burglaries reported on campus. Most have not had signs of forced entry, which is why Milne said they are considered opportunity crimes because a door may have been left unlocked or the person had access to the items they stole.

Surprisingly, Milne said, the most common stolen object is a parking permit. He said some students don't notice it's gone until they receive a ticket and then they can't remember what happened to their permit. In most cases their cars were locked, he added.

The USU Police Department has 12 officers that are on 24-hour patrols around the campus but Milne said the students should also take part in helping keep the peace.

"There are only 12 officers but there are 20,000 students walking around," Milne said. "There are more eyes than just law enforcement, we count on the public to assist us."

If students see anything suspicious or are the victims of burglary Milne said they should report it, not because there is a good chance they'll get their items back that day but because it might help in the investigation. Milne said a pattern in the location or time of day starts to show when crimes are reported and then a stakeout is a good way to apprehend the burglars.

The public can assist themselves by locking their doors and making sure they're secured, Milne said. Objects of value shouldn't be left in the plain sight, he said, they should be secured in the trunk or out of sight. If there are expensive speakers in the car Milne said an alarm system would be a good investment.

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